Dragon Age: Origins - Two Wardens the Witch and the Ritual
by usakoberry
Summary: The leader of the small group fighting against the blight decides her companions could use a boost in morale. She cooks up a fun evening for the three of them.


Katherine Cousland was the last female left in her noble family, and the leader of a small group of skilled warriors who had just began fighting to stop the blight. As if she didn't have enough grief on her shoulders to deal with, she noticed her companions weren't talking much. They got along with her well enough, but hated each other. She felt it was important to keep morale up, and unite her companions… _Or at the very least make them not hate each other._ She thought to herself.

"Hey you two, I'm going to the Denerim market. I've got a bit of shopping to do. If you wish to join me, you are welcome to." She announced to her two companions. Her war hound stood beside her.

"Shopping for what? We simply cannot afford better weapons and armor than we already have." Morrigan inquired.

"Well… I thought I'd get some ale. Maybe some rum too. Some meat to cook over the fire. And _cheese._ " She answered. Alistair's interest peaked at the meat and cheese part. He wasn't much of a drinker though, because of his upbringing in the chantry.

"Have you gone mad? Are you a child?" Morrigan began to walk back to her small, exclusive area of the camp.

"You know, uh, I'll go too. I uh—" Alistair stood up shyly. "Cheese is good." Morrigan stopped just to glare at him _._ He was equally excited and nervous to be alone with Katherine once again. When he saw her slay dozens of darkspawn and a massive ogre, then wake up fresh and beautiful after being seriously injured, he thought she was quite the woman. Intimidating, yet amazing. However, he found himself a little bit smitten after she consoled him as he sat dismally by the pond in the wilds thinking about how all the Grey Wardens were slain.

"Great Alistair. Come on, Morrigan. I just think we could all use a boost in morale. I think it's imperative if we want to keep fighting."

"On the contrary," Morrigan began "I think it's imperative we focus on our goal and not fool around!" She gracefully stormed off.

"Maker help her." Katherine sighed. "Come on boy, you stay here with Morrigan. I don't want her to be alone." She scratched her dog behind the ears. "Alistair, let's go."

The market was somewhat uneventful. Alistair was painfully nervous and babbled on about cheese and things. Luckily for him, his leader was prone to babbling herself. "And then I said to Ser Gilmore, 'If you tell anyone I was drunk during swords practice, I'll tell everyone about the time you brought a servant girl into the knight's barracks.'" She laughed.

"I never realized growing up in a castle could be such a party." Alistair nervously responded. She was getting more intimidating by the minute. "I've… never been drunk." He confessed.

"What?! Oh man Alistair, we're gonna have some fun tonight! I was the life of the party back at the castle! All my friends used to say—" She abruptly stopped. Remembering all her friends were gone now.

"Oh, Katherine…" He placed a hand on her shoulder "If it'll cheer you up, I suppose I'll have _a little_ ale with you tonight."

Later that afternoon Alistair was on his second mug of ale. Katherine was on her fourth, but they were equally tipsy. Morrigan refused to partake in the drinking, but Katherine had a plan for her later. "So you've _NEVER?_ You're… a virgin!?" She giggled.

"Ssh not so loud! I don't want that she-devil to hear!" Alistair blushed and pouted. _What a boob._ Katherine thought. _That's cute though I suppose._

"Don't worry Alistair, travelling with me, it's _bound_ to happen sooner or later." _What?_ He thought. _Is she saying we would—_ "Because I'm an excellent wing man." _Oh._ He was disappointed. "After all you are ruggedly handsome. It won't be hard… Oh my I'm starting to get drunk!" She laughed. "Sorry I just—"

"No! I think you are too! Wait no, not handsome. Or rugged, but you know… Maker's breath I'm getting drunk too."

"You think I'm _what_?" Katherine was confused.

"Well, I mean, attractive… I suppose."

"You _suppose_?" She raised an eyebrow.

"No, you are!" He blurted out.

"Aww, cutie. Thank youu." She drunkenly smooched him on the cheek. "Now, a shot of rum!? I'm having fun." She scrambled to get the rum from her sack. Alistair sat in shock. _I probably shouldn't tell her that was the closest thing to a kiss I've ever had either. Oh Maker, she's so out of my league._ "Whoa… Alistair, you're totally red. Have you drunken too much already? Drinken? Drank?"

"Noo… I'm… fine." Alistair wanted to impress her, and he was having fun too. A shot and another mug of ale later and Katherine was getting very friendly, as drinking always did to her.

"Alistair, you're so silly. I like how you talk about stupid stuff." She laughed and smacked him on the back. He frowned at her. "No, it's a good thing to talk about stupid stuff and have fun during these hard times. You're like, my new best friend." She said as sincerely as her drunken self could muster. She went in for a hug, but just drunkenly flopped herself on him. He stiffly held her up. "Morgan! I mean, Morr _igan!_ Come have some rabbit with us!" She bellowed in Morrigan's direction. _Please no._ Alistair thought.

"Oh, no darling." Morrigan sarcastically began. "I wouldn't want to... interrupt." Disapproval coated her words.

"Pshaw, we're just bonding. Being friends, Morrigan. You should try it too!" Katherine teased. Morrigan ignored them completely. "Ahh, I suppose I should sober up and then try to bond with her." Katherine scoffed, "If it's possible."

"She actually seems to rather like you… compared to other people that is. You're very… likeable." Alistair muttered the last sentence. The two of them laid by the fire exchanging silly stories and anecdotes for a while. Katherine slowly inched toward him. She also got flirty when she was drunk. Soon enough they were right against each other as the sun set. They wouldn't say it, but both of them felt it was very romantic. They were on cloud nine. Katherine thought to herself maybe after the blight was over she would go for him. Or maybe even before.

Eventually Alistair dosed off when the full moon was beginning to rise. Katherine threw a blanket on her new crush and made her way over to Morrigan. "I'm fairly sober now." She sat on a log near Morrigan's camp area. "It's a full mooon…" She said suggestively.

"And?" Morrigan sighed.

"Well… we should do a moon ritual."

Morrigan dropped the scroll she was going over. "I- I never realized. You're interested in witchcraft, Katherine?"

"Well it's real, and it's not all evil. So yes, I am. I used to do full moon rituals with this servant girl I befriended back at the castle I grew up in. Thank the maker my parents never found out." She laughed.

"Really now?" Morrigan was intrigued.

"I remember your mother mentioning how you danced under the moon." She giggled. "I bought some sage at the market today. We can light a fire, make a closed circle of sage smoke, cleanse our negative thoughts, then dance!"

"You really _do_ know about moon rituals." Morrigan almost sounded impressed, "Fine. Only for the sake of tradition, though."

Alistair woke up and looked around the camp completely dazed. _I fell asleep on the ground?_ He noticed the blanket and blushed. Then he noticed something strange. Morrigan and Katherine both burning some kind of clump of leaves, walking in a circle around Morrigan's fire. Both has serious expressions. _What in the name of the maker?_

"Closed circle." Morrigan began "Everything outside the circle no longer exists. Now write your worries on these scraps of parchment and toss them into the fire." Alistair couldn't hear them, and so he watched in worry. After they burned some scraps of what looked like paper, they got up and headed toward the forest. _I don't trust that witch._ Alistair thought. He decided to secretly follow them.

"This meadow is rather appropriate for the ritual." Morrigan said. "Well done finding it." Katherine was excited to hear some actual praise come from the infamously salty Morrigan. Alistair hid close by behind some bushes. _Ritual?!_ He could hear them now. Before he had time to think of any answers Katherine started stripping in the meadow! "My, you _are_ traditional." Morrigan almost laughed.

"Well you dance naked too, don't you?" Katherine asked. "It _is_ tradition."

"Only when I'm alone." Morrigan responded. _Naked!?_ Alistair internally panicked. _I should really go. Katherine's already removed her chest plate. I should… really go._ He stared. She began removing her boots. _Dammit, Alistair, leave!_ He began to scurry away. "What was that!?" Morrigan sent a bolt of light in his direction. He dove into some tall grass. _Maker please don't let them see me, please!_ "I heard some rustling… I don't see anything."

"Probably an animal." Katherine said dismissively. "Come on, Morrigan! I can't be the only naked one."

"Fine. For the sake of _tradition,_ I will strip to my unmentionables." She calmly declared.

"Good enough! Oh, I'm so excited to dance naked under the full moon! It's been months!" Alistair was still laying in the grass. _I can't leave now, they'll surely notice me. Oh, I'm going to burn for this. Forgive me, maker. Forgi—_ They were both done stripping. He had a perfect view of Katherine's completely exposed form under the moonlight. _This is too weird. It has to be a dream. Wait, are they both witches then? No! What do I do?_ While he quietly panicked and tried not to stare Katherine and Morrigan both laughed together for the first time. _That's right, Katherine's trying to bond. She's not a witch._ _By all that is holy her body is perfect. I can't handle this._ He never felt so lustful in his life. A few moments later, the women began dressing and he was able to scurry back to his tent. He heard them walk back into camp, laughing. _Well, she did it._ He thought. _Sounds like their morale is up. Mine surely is._


End file.
